Andy Griffith died of heart attack, death certificate says

By the CNN Wire Staff

Updated 1:51 PM ET, Fri July 6, 2012

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – Andy Griffith, famous for his starring role in "The Andy Griffith Show," was an actor, director, producer and Grammy-winning Southern gospel singer and writer. He died Tuesday, July 3, at 86. Click through the gallery to see a glimpse of his career and life.

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – Future director Ron Howard played son Opie to Griffith's Andy Taylor on the TV show.

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – Griffith and Don Knotts were beloved co-stars in the CBS television series "The Andy Griffith Show" from 1960 through 1968.

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor peers through laundry in "Andy and the Woman Speeder."

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Andy Griffith through the years – From left, Don Knotts as Barney Fife, Andy Griffith as Andy Taylor and Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle.

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Andy Griffith through the years – A bird's-eye view shows the town in jail on set for "Andy Saves Barney's Morale."

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Andy Griffith through the years – Griffith plays the guitar for his television son, Opie, during "The Runaway Kid."

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – From left, Mickey Rooney, Connie Stevens and Griffith in a hospital room set in 1972.

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – In 1972, Griffith appeared on "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" with Sonny Bono.

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Andy Griffith through the years – Griffith also starred in the television legal drama "Matlock" from 1986 through 1992 on NBC and from 1992 until 1995 on ABC.

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Andy Griffith through the years – The crew records the episode "The Idol," which aired May 19, 1994.

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – Griffith in the episode "Dead Air," which showed December 8, 1994.

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Photos:Photos: Andy Griffith's life and career

Andy Griffith through the years – In 2005, Griffith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. Fellow awardees included singer Aretha Franklin and former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan.

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Andy Griffith through the years – Griffith read a poem after the 2009 inauguration of North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue in Raleigh.

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Andy Griffith through the years – Griffith in 1994.

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Story highlights

Andy Griffith's death certificate says the actor died earlier this week of a heart attack

The North Carolina native had also long endured hypertension and hyperlipidemia

Griffith suffered the heart attack about 24 hours before he died, the certificate said

Andy Griffith's death certificate says the actor died of a heart attack, after years of suffering from other illnesses, including coronary artery disease.

The North Carolina native had long endured hypertension and hyperlipidemia, his certificate said, which can suggest high cholesterol or high triglycerides.

The heart attack occurred about 24 hours before he died, the certificate says. Griffith passed away at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning and was buried less than five hours later.

Most known for his role as the sheriff of Mayberry on the CBS series "The Andy Griffith Show," Griffith "has been laid to rest on his beloved Roanoke Island," the family said in a statement issued Tuesday.

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He was buried in the Griffith Family Cemetery in Manteo, North Carolina.

A member of the Televison Hall of Fame, Griffith also was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007. His 1996 album, "I Love to Tell the Story -- 25 Timeless Hymns," netted him a Grammy Award.

Born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, in 1926, he graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1949 with a degree in music. He made his film debut in "A Face in the Crowd" in 1957 and made his final film appearance in "Play the Game" in 2009. In between, he had two successful television series -- "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock" -- and appeared in dozens of other TV shows and movies.